In this case, the invention refers background, for example, from a report by H. Toda et al. "Development of 550 kV 1-break GCB (part II)--Development of Prototype" IEEE 92 SM 578-5 PWRD. In this document, a compressed gas-blast circuit breaker is described having two moving contact members, which are arranged in a chamber which is filled with insulating gas, and having a piston/cylinder compression device which produces quenching gas during disconnection. In this circuit breaker, drive energy is transmitted from a first of the two contact members via a lever mechanism, which acts as a speed converter, and an insulating rod to a second of the two contact members. During disconnection, the contact members are moved in opposite directions. This results in a high contact separation speed. In comparison with a compressed gas-blast circuit breaker which is dimensioned in a corresponding manner and has the same contact separation speed, but in the case of which only one of the two contact members is moved, drive energy can thus be saved. However, the lever mechanism and the insulating rod require a considerably enlarged diameter for the chamber transversely with respect to the movement direction of the contact members.
A compressed gas-blast circuit breaker is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,806, having a switching chamber in which, during a switching operation, drive energy is transmitted by a force transmission device from a moving arcing member via an insulating nozzle to a moving erosion contact of a stationary contact member. This compressed gas-blast circuit breaker is distinguished by a high separation speed of the arcing contacts with a low drive energy and a quenching geometry which is retained unchanged and is governed by the moving contact member and the insulating nozzle, as a result of which a large insulating path is formed within a very short time between the erosion contacts during disconnection.